Empanada de Ham and Egg

Empanadas: Leeks and egg (left) ham (right)

We ate this for brunch and it was perfect. I also recommend making up the crust in advance and then freezing it. Julien, a French friend of ours recommended that we do that with pie crusts and from this experience it really really works much better.

Dough: Recipe taken from a Thermomix book.

• 400 gr. flour
• 180 gr. butter at room temperature
• 70 gr. water
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder

Put all ingredients in the t-mix in the order they are listed and mix for 15 seconds speed 6. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and divide in 2 or 4 if you are useing smaller baking dishes. I suggest you freeze them like this. Later thaw out over night and roll out until thin.

Fillings:

• sliced ham
• cream cheese
• eggs
• leeks

There are many fillings you can use. The one we did today was a layer of flavored cream cheese, a layer of ham, and a layer of beaten egg with leeks mixed in.  It was really good, but you can use any type of cheese you like.

Another idea is to do ham, cheese, and dates! The contrast between the sweet and the savory is delicious. If you want to add more calories you can add a layer of cooked bacon to either recipe as well!

Finally, bake at 180 degrees centigrade for 20-30 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.